GLOCESTER FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC

NON-SURGICAL BACK AND NECK SPECIALIST

The Chiropractic & Physiotherapy Center of Northern RI

(401) 568-2200

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THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE

We teach our patients special exercises designed just for them to help strengthen and correct their own unique problem. These exercises can be performed in the comfort of your own home and can improve the effectiveness of your spinal correction by as much as 30-40%. This enhances the treatment process and helps maintain healing benefits, as well as reducing the likelihood of future problems.

PARTIAL SIT UP

We start with what most people said is the best back pain exercise. Because people who have back pain will not be able to do a full sit up, we will do partial sit up. This is what you should do.

Lie on the floor with a pillow supporting your neck and bend both knees (keep your feet on the floor). Now, raise your hands and slowly reach for your knees. You don't have to raise your lower back or mid back, just raise your head, neck and upper back. Hold this position for 5 seconds before going back to the original position.

Because it is very easy to do, we suggest that you do it as many times as possible in a day (50 repetitions take only minutes). Make it your daily routine.

KNEE TO CHEST

You start this exercise the same way like the partial sit up, by lying on the floor with a pillow supporting your neck. Now bend both knees (keep your feet on the floor).

Begin the exercise by drawing one of your knees to the chest, using both hands (only one foot is now on air). Hold to the count of 10, then slowly release it to the position before. Do this 4 5 times before doing the same thing with the other leg. Youll feel that the whole back gets stretched. That is good thing, since we have been making the back shorter all day by sitting incorrectly.After you have done that, time to get both knees to the chest. Do this 4-5 times as well.

HIP ROLL

What you do is to lie on your back with both hands out at your sides. If we were to look at you from the air, you would now look like a tiny T. Now bend your knees and lift your feet until it almost touches your buttocks. Keep those knees together, and slowly rotate to the right. Hold to the count of 10.

After that, slowly bring back both feet to the middle and repeat the same step, this time going to the left. Repeat the entire thing for 4 10 times.

LOW BACK EXTENSION

The position is different from the previous 3 exercises and is designed to help those with sciatic pain.

Instead of lying on your back, this time you lie on your stomach. Put your hands on your side. Now, slowly raise your head and chest from the floor. Try to hold for about 4-5 seconds, then go back to your original position. Okay, take a rest for a while and repeat this again for about 7-10 times.

If you feel better, you could proceed to the next stage. If the pain increases, stop the exercise.

This is what you do next. Lie on your stomach with a pillow under the chest. Just relax there for about 10 minutes. When you do this, you are actually lifting your upper back with the help of the pillow. Now, using your hand, push on the floor and slowly raise your head and upper back from the pillow. Do this several times. Dont continue if the back pain increases.

CAT-CAMEL

Position yourself on all fours with hands directly beneath your shoulders and knees directly beneath your hips. Arch your back like a cat, then transition to camel position.

The Cat-Camel is intended as a motion exercisenot a stretchso the emphasis is on motion rather than "pushing" at the end ranges of flexion and extension. Repeat 12-15 times.

BACK EXTENSION

Lay with your stomach on the stability ball; face down with your arms behind your head resting on your neck. Relax your shoulders and keep your abdominals tight. Contract the gluteus and use your lower back muscles to slowly lift your shoulders and chest off the ball.

SUPERMAN

Begin in an all-fours position with body over the stability, abdominal muscles engaged to stabilize the pelvis and the neck in alignment with the spine. Lift opposite arm and leg up at the time then return down switch to the other side.

DOUBLE LEG LIFTS

Rest with your stomach over the stability ball. Hands down on the floor in front of the ball. Raise both legs up off the floor until your body is horizontal.

SPINAL ROTATION

Seated in a chair, reach one arm across the belly and grasp the opposite side of the chair. Look over the shoulder while rotating the low- and mid-back. Hold for 15-30 seconds.

EXTERNAL SHOULDER ROTATION

Palms facing the sky at table top level with band draped over both hands, holding the upper arms next to the torso. Externally rotate both arms through full range of motion. Pause, then slowly return to the starting position

LATERAL DELTOID RAISE

Arms start slightly to the side of your body, palms facing the thighs. This starting position helps protect the shoulder joint. Engage the abdominals, bend the knees slightly, and position the feet about shoulder-width apart.

Keep elbows slightly flexed and abduct at the shoulders to raise the arms to shoulder height. Pause, and then slowly return to the starting position.

INTERNAL SHOULDER ROTATION

Sit with one leg extended and the elastic resistance wrapped around the extended foot. If the right leg is extended, the left hand acts to anchor the elastic resistance and the right arm is bent 90 degrees with the upper arm next to the torso and slightly in front of the body.

Rotate the right hand toward the body. Pause, and then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat with the other arm.

FRONT DELTOID RAISE

Arms start in front of the body with the palms facing the thighs. Engage the abdominals, bend the knees slightly, and position the feet about shoulder-width apart.

With the elbows extended, flex at the shoulders to raise the arms to shoulder height. Pause, then slowly return to the starting position.

SINGLE-ARM LAT PULLDOWN

Begin with both hands overhead holding an elastic resistance band. Engage the abdominals, bend the knees slightly, and position the feet about shoulder-width apart.

Pull downward to the side with one arm, adducting at the shoulder until the upper arm is next to the torso. Pause, then return slowly to the starting position. Keeps arms slightly in front of the face to protect the back and shoulders.

STABILITY BALL PUSH-UPS

Start with the ball under your stomach roll forward placing your body weight on your hands until stability ball rests under your shins. Your body should be extended in a straight line from the stability ball.

SIDE LUMBAR BRIDGE

Lie on one side with your legs straight. Support the upper body by keeping the elbow directly beneath the shoulder. Being careful not to let the top hip rotate forward, engage the abdominals and use the torso to lift the hips. Hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds, maintaining a neutral neck and spine position.

SINGLE-LEG REVERSE CURL

Lie on your back with one knee flexed and foot flat on the floor and the other leg straight in the air. Extend arms flat along body and maintain neutral alignment in the cervical spine.

Lift the working knee and leg in an upward diagonal direction over the belly button. Pause, then slowly lower the leg to the starting position. Repeat with other leg.

CRUNCH

Lay your back onto the ball, hands behind head or across chest. Maintain a backwards-pelvic tilt and raise shoulder blades off the ball.

NECK FLEXION

Stand facing the wall and hold the stability ball at forehead height, push forehead forward into the ball.

NECK EXTENSION

Stand facing away from the wall and hold the stability ball behind your head. Push back of head into the ball.

NECK LATERAL

Stand sideways to the wall. Hold the stability ball above your shoulder at the side of your head. Push side of heads laterally into the ball.

Neck Stretches

1. Bring your ear to your shoulder2. Let your neck to sit in that position for 5 to 7 secs3. Force your ear toward your shoulder.3. Feel the stretch of your neck muscle on the opposite side.Same principle as the exercise before...1. Bring head back as if you are looking toward the ceiling.2. Feel the stretch in the muscles located on the front part of your neck.

If this exercise causes dizziness,fainting or loss of balance.. STOP THE EXERCISE AND CONTACT YOUR PHYSICIAN.

1. Rotate your head toward your (R or L) shoulder and then2. Nod your head down and you will feel a stretch on the opposite side of which you are looking. Just hold for a few seconds and repeat.

Neck exercises for strength

1. Put ypur hand on your forehead and force your forehead against your hand to provide resistance. You can do this in several sets of 6, 8, or 10 repetitions.

Place your hands on the back of your neck and force your head back while providing ressitance with your hands.

Do these exercises in several sets of 6, 8, or 10 several times a day and you will be surprised at the amount of flexibility that returns in a couple of months.